And the men of Kirjath-jearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD…
I Samuel 7:1
Oh, the deplorable state that the children of Israel had been living in. The armies of the Philistines had stolen the visible object that allowed the children of Israel to know that God was among them and that He was pleased with them. Now because of apathy and sin of the Israelites, the Philistines had whisked away the ark of God, which gave Israel the assurance of God’s presence, power, and protection. The absent ark not only had emotional ramifications such as fear, doubt, and despair, but also spiritual implications. For without the ark of God, the worship of the Israelites was as meaningless as the worship of the Baalites upon Mount Carmel. How foolish the children of Israel would have been to attempt to worship without the presence of God. It would have been like trying to sing a song without notes. Like trying to light candle without the presence of a wick. No my friend, it would have been impossible and vain.
I Samuel 7:1
Oh, the deplorable state that the children of Israel had been living in. The armies of the Philistines had stolen the visible object that allowed the children of Israel to know that God was among them and that He was pleased with them. Now because of apathy and sin of the Israelites, the Philistines had whisked away the ark of God, which gave Israel the assurance of God’s presence, power, and protection. The absent ark not only had emotional ramifications such as fear, doubt, and despair, but also spiritual implications. For without the ark of God, the worship of the Israelites was as meaningless as the worship of the Baalites upon Mount Carmel. How foolish the children of Israel would have been to attempt to worship without the presence of God. It would have been like trying to sing a song without notes. Like trying to light candle without the presence of a wick. No my friend, it would have been impossible and vain.
The men of Kirjath-jearim were aware of the seriousness of this condition and grew tired of the apathy of their nation. The Philistines had caused a reproach upon the children of Israel and the men of Kirjath-jearim were not going to take it any longer. With one accord, the men marched with resolve to retrieve the ark of God. They were willing to make the sacrifice to retrieve the presence and power of God, which they did with rapid success. Now, some would say, these men were extraordinary men and that is the reason they dared such a task. How wrong you are. “Kirjath-jearim” literally means, “city of woods”. The men of Kirjath-jearim were woodsmen and lumberjacks. They were just common men. They were not overly educated nor overly talented. No, they simply were desperate once again for the presence of God and were willing to risk life and limb to retrieve it.
Oh, that there were some men and women who desired to see the presence and power of God upon their nation. Oh, that we would join in one accord and march into the land of the enemy and retrieve what is rightfully ours. Do not let the devil tell you that you are incapable because you lack the talent or education. God needs not the sharpest knife in the drawer. For in the hands of an omnipotent God even the dullest knife is a deadly weapon
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